Wonders of the tropics; or, Explorations and adventures of Henry M Stanley and other world-renowned travelers, including Livingstone, Baker, Cameron, Speke, Emin Pasha, Du Chaillu, Andersson, etc., etc .. . This was close to our diahbeeah; and the water being shallow, there doubt that she was seized by a crocodile. I was one day returning from head-quarters to my station, a distanceofa rnile and a half along the rivers bank, when I noticed the large headof a crocodile about thirty yards from the shore. I knew every inch ofth|e river, and I was satisfied that the water was shallow. A soli
Wonders of the tropics; or, Explorations and adventures of Henry M Stanley and other world-renowned travelers, including Livingstone, Baker, Cameron, Speke, Emin Pasha, Du Chaillu, Andersson, etc., etc .. . This was close to our diahbeeah; and the water being shallow, there doubt that she was seized by a crocodile. I was one day returning from head-quarters to my station, a distanceofa rnile and a half along the rivers bank, when I noticed the large headof a crocodile about thirty yards from the shore. I knew every inch ofth|e river, and I was satisfied that the water was shallow. A solitary pieceof] waving rush that grew upon the bank exactly opposite the crocodilewould mark the position; thus, stooping down, I quietly retreated inlandfrom the bank, and then running forward, I crept gently toward the as low as possible, I advanced till very near the bank (upoawhich grew tufts of grass), until, by slowly raising my head, I couldobserve the head of the crocodile in the same position, not more than,twenty-six or twenty-eight yards from me. At that distance, my gun could hit a half-crown; I therefore madesure of bagging. The bank was about four feet above the water; thus. (307) 308 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. the angle was favorable, and I aimed just behind the eye. Almost as Itouched the trigger, the crocodile gave a convulsive start, and turningslowly on its back, it stretched its four legs above the surface, strainingevery muscle ; it then remained motionless in this position in water abouttwo feet deep. My horse was always furnished with a long halter or tethering-rope:thus I ordered the guide and another man to jump into river and securethe crocodile by a rope fastened round the body behind the was quickly accomplished, and the men remained knee-deep, haulingupon the rope to prevent the stream from carrying away the body. Inthe mean time an attendant had mounted my horse and galloped off forassistance to the camp. Crocodiles are very
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